Kent State University
11-35, 3-18
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Western Michigan
12-34, 6-15
Leitner’s Complete Game Victory Leads Flashes in Saturday Doubleheader Split
4/26/2025 8:20:00 PM | Softball
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Redshirt sophomore Kendal Leitner tossed her first collegiate complete game on Saturday to help Kent State split a doubleheader with host Western Michigan. After dropping the opening game 10-5, Leitner went the distance in an 11-1 victory.
Sophomore Megan Claerhout and senior Katie Jo Moery led the offense with three hits each. Claerhout had a team-high three RBIs, while Moery drove in a pair of runs.
Game 1: Western Michigan 10, Kent State 5
The Golden Flashes scored a pair of two-out runs in top of the first inning. Kendal Leitner drove home the first run with a double to left-center that scored Brynn Libler. An error then extended the inning and Leitner sprinted home for a 2-0 lead.
Western Michigan homered twice in the bottom of the first as part of a seven-run frame to take the lead.
Kent State trimmed the deficit in the top of the fourth, scoring on a passed ball and a RBI single by Megan Claerhout. In the top of the fifth, Katie Jo Moery brought in a run on a sac fly to get within 7-5.
The Broncos plated three in the bottom of the fifth for the final runs of the game.
Game 2: Kent State 11, Western Michigan 1
The Flashes struck in the top of the first again, as Aaralyn Nogay reached on an error and scored on a single by Megan Claerhout.
After an error extended the bottom of the first, the Broncos tied it with a double.
Starting pitcher Kendal Leitner then shut down WMU's offense for the final six innings.
Kent State went ahead 3-1 in the fifth. Two walks and an error allowed Kam Utendorf to score the go-ahead run. Leitner followed with a single up the middle to plate Claerhout. Utendorf recorded a RBI single in the sixth to make it 4-1.
The Flashes erupted for seven runs in the top of the seventh, highlighted by a two-run double from Carley Penner and Nogay's first collegiate home run that scored the final three runs.
On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State will go for its first Mid-American Conference series victory on Sunday against Western Michigan at 11 a.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Leitner, Kendal (2-2)
L: Gremillion (3-11)
Batting:
2B: Nogay, Aaralyn 1 ; Penner, Carley 1
HR: Nogay, Aaralyn 1
RBI: Nogay, Aaralyn 3 ; Claerhout, Megan 2 ; Leitner, Kendal 1 ; Penner, Carley 2 ; Moery, Katie Jo 1 ; Utendorf, Kam 2
SH: Claerhout, Megan 1 ; Moery, Katie Jo 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nogay, Aaralyn 2 ; Libler, Brynn 1 ; Claerhout, Megan 1 ; Aberle, Brooke 1 ; Penner, Carley 1 ; Moery, Katie Jo 2 ; Johnson, Leilani 1 ; Utendorf, Kam 2
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Batting:
2B: Jordan Smith 1 ; R. Chumbley 1
RBI: Jordan Smith 1
SH: C. Tighe 2
Base Running:
RUNS: R. Dittmar 1
HBP: E. Yacapraro 1
